This invention relates to attachments for temporarily positioning storm panels over windows, doors and other structural apertures for protection against hurricanes and other severe storms.
Temporary attachment of storm panels over windows and doors is preferred by many over permanent shutters for aesthetic options and for low cost. Often, however, storm panels are merely nailed to and then un-nailed from building structure in makeshift ways that mar buildings and take much scarce time in emergency conditions. To avoid marring buildings with makeshift attachment of storm panels, temporary panel-attachment systems have been devised. None that are known, however, have a brace-attachment bracket with a tongue-like extension that fits into an attachment enclosure in a manner taught by this invention.
Examples of different but related panel-attachment systems are described in the following patent documents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,206, issued to McDonald on Mar. 3, 1998, described use of hinged support braces for supporting bolt-on paneling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,849, issued to Hill on Jan. 28, 1997, described a plurality of isosceles trapezoidal shutter panels with interlocking edges and with ends positioned in end caps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,775, issued to Santos on Sep. 20, 1994, described a downwardly open channel for receiving a top of a panel at a top of a protected area and a flat rail with fastener holes for supporting a bottom of the panel at a bottom of the protected area. U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,452, issued to Taylor on Aug. 9, 1994, described hurricane panels retained by slide braces in slide-support structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,690, issued to Commins on Jun. 27, 1989, described a sheet-metal connector nailing indicia for nailing on storm panels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,271, issued to DePaolo, et al. on Jun. 8, 1982, described a channeled header for receiving hurricane paneling that is fastened to footer sill with fasteners having inside access without outside access to prevent unauthorized removal.